The Unexpected Habit You Should Do Every Morning To Protect Your Heart, According to Cardiologists

If one of your health goals is living a heart-healthy lifestyle, you probably already know the basics by, well, heart. Not using tobacco products, getting regular exercise and eating a primarily plant-based diet are all ways to support your cardiovascular system.

Here’s what’s really great about adopting heart-healthy habits: Your entire body benefits. What’s good for your heart is also good for your brain, gut and the rest of your body. It’s all connected. Need proof? Multiple scientific studies show that following the DASH diet (a dietary plan made to help lower blood pressure) is associated with a decreased risk for Alzheimer’s. 

Another example is daily walking. This cardio-based activity isn’t just good for your heart. It also lowers the risk of certain types of cancer, lowers depression and strengthens bones. The best example of all is not using tobacco. Using tobacco doesn’t just negatively impact the lungs and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s also connected to many different types of cancer, negatively impacts fertility and weakens the immune system.

Even if you consider yourself a heart-health expert, there’s one important habit that you’re likely overlooking. According to cardiologists we talked to, it’s something not many people know about, but it can play a crucial role in supporting the cardiovascular system. And no, it has nothing to do with what you have for breakfast (coffee included).

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The Unexpected Morning Habit That’s Good for Your Heart

According to cardiologists we talked to, one of the best morning habits you can do to support your heart is going for a walk outside, shortly after the sun comes up. While part of this is because of the cardiovascular benefits of walking, they explain that it also helps regulate circadian rhythm, which is a crucial part of heart health that’s often overlooked.

“Circadian rhythm is such a fundamental part of biology for all living things,” says Dr. Mohanakrishnan Sathyamoorthy, MD, FACC, a cardiologist and the chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Texas Christian University. He explains that the heart and vascular system are highly tuned to sleep-wake cycles through a complex web of interactions with the brain and endocrine system, which is the body’s wireless communication network.

“Hormonal interactions with the vascular system, heart and brain are crucially impacted by this rhythm,” Dr. Sathyamoorthy says.

Related: I’m a Cardiologist and This ‘Relaxing’ Habit Is Actually Harming Your Heart Health

Circadian rhythm is the body’s internal clock. It regulates the sleep-wake cycle, hormone release and digestion—all in response to light and dark. When circadian rhythm is out of whack, the whole body suffers, including the heart.

Dr. Joyce Oen-Hsiao, MD, FACC, a cardiologist and an associate professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, explains that going on a morning walk is one way to keep circadian rhythm in sync. “In general, taking a walk in the morning will help with circadian rhythm because the sunlight signals the brain to stop producing melatonin, which, normally, your body will produce to help you sleep,” she says. 

And sleep, both cardiologists emphasize, is crucial for heart health.

Related: This Is the #1 Best High-Protein Snack for Heart Health, According to Cardiologists

How Getting Good Sleep Supports Heart Health

Making it a priority to get consistently good sleep is a crucial part of heart health that many people overlook. “Insomnia and poor sleep can affect the cardiovascular system: it can lead to higher blood pressure and heart rate,” Dr. Oen-Hsiao says, explaining that this is because not getting good sleep negatively impacts metabolism, which in turn can lead to weight gain. 

“The fatigue from not sleeping well leads to not having enough energy to exercise or stay active, which will contribute to weight gain. This can then lead to increased blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar,” Dr. Oen-Hsiao continues. Scientific research backs this up, showing that not getting enough sleep is associated with higher blood pressure, higher LDL cholesterol and weight gain.

Related: The Commonly Overlooked Habit Cardiologists Say Is ‘Crucial’ for Heart Health

Remember: Circadian rhythm responds to light and darkness cues. This is why going for a morning walk in the sunshine can help support it. Dr. Sathyamoorthy says that it’s also why blue light exposure from screens at night can be disruptive. So another way to support your circadian rhythm is to dim the lights in the evening and stay away from screens.

Sunlight exposure during the day and using dim lighting at night is a great way to support your circadian rhythm—and that’s on top of the cardiovascular benefits going on a morning walk delivers too. Besides, a walk in the sunshine sounds like a pretty great way to start the day anyway. Why not give it a try?

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Related: Why Women’s Hearts Age Differently—and How To Protect Yours

Sources:

• Mehdi Abbasi, M., Khandae, S., Shahabi, M., et al. (2025). Association between the DASH diet and Alzheimer’s disease in case-control study.Scientific Reports. 15:23312. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-05416-z
• Ungvari, Z., Fazekas-Pongor, V., Csiszar, A., et al. (2023). The multifaceted benefits of walking for healthy aging: from Blue Zones to molecular mechanisms. GeroScience. 45(6):3211-3239 
• The Effects of Tobacco Use on Health.Public Health Implications of Raising the Minimum Age of Legal Access to Tobacco Products. National Library of Medicine.
• Dr. Mohanakrishnan Sathyamoorthy, MD, FACC, cardiologist and the chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Texas Christian University
• Circadian Rhythm. Cleveland Clinic
• Dr. Joyce Oen-Hsiao, MD, FACC, cardiologist and an associate professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine
• Vinicius Sá Gomes e Farias, A., Peixoto de Lima Cavalcanti, M., Alcȃntara de Passos, M., et al. (2022). The association between sleep deprivation and arterial pressure variations: a systematic literature review.Sleep Medicine: X. 4:100042. doi: 10.1016/j.sleepx.2022.100042 
• Gangwisch, J. E., Malaspina, D., Babiss, L. A., et al. (2010). Short sleep duration as a risk factor for hypercholesterolemia: analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Sleep. 33(7):956-61
• Patel, S. R., Malhotra, A., White, D. P., et al. (2012). Association between Reduced Sleep and Weight Gain in Women. American Journal of Epidemiology. 164(10):947-954